Idea development/Critique 2 #5

Precedence studies/Additional research.

By browsing through and surfing much about devices art, I've found that it was really interesting for developer to build cool gadget by implementing their own ideas of being creative. Devices art, is broad subject to discuss, it has been covered by many independent artist and designer by creating/designing not only an audio based but whole lots more. Most of them are purposely create to imitate the existing gadget to make it more interesting and playful to be learned, for the fact, some of them are too subjective and the message is too deep to understand. The experimental idea of arts has discovered and interpreted from political to humanities context, its explain how creative the designer can be when the fun is being tolerated between experimental-ism and ancient ideology.



A typographic sequencer, an experimental performnace by Ashley John Pigford. Absolute genuine idea, transforming an alphabet to audio. He only used an electric bass guiter and played them sequentially to create and original musical composition accordingly to the thems 'electronics and musical images'. The based idea is to translates text into audio melodies. An outstanding performance by combining electric bass guitar(device) sync with the rhythm of the melodies to create such an experimental arts. I wish this is something that im going to produce from my project.

The one that catch my attention on devices art project/gadget or tools is a "midi synthesizer", gosh they were awesome! and since im doing a project on theremin concept i feel somehow it was connected to my idea of creating a digital instrument. Well of course the process of development is going to be hard and hectic for me to understand every single coding on processing stages, but at least i've been through my concept and sure what my project's purposes. haha sound a bit silly, but im going to try it!

this is some of the synthesizer that are really awesome.







To make it more interesting and to crossed out from typical digital instrument, i've been advised to implementing them by adding some visual interference. At first, my idea laid to visualize some human 3d facial for solfege plays, but as deeply brainstorming by many of ideas it feels like kinda numb and boring, the user might get too tense to experiment my project if they only produce a monotonous audio such as do re mi. The great idea i've been thinking now, is to replaces it with some midi sound and visualize it using a funky and electro visualization. There's a plenty of aduio visualization open sources programming that need to be consider and have to do a lots of research. Im going to experiment them, on critique 03 in content development stage. For now, from what i've been surfing and browsing, 'supercollider' is seems interesting and nice to be projected, example;



there's a lots more software that can produce a similar outcome like this, such as papervision, vvvv, and etc.

Inspirational discussion

Device Art: A New Form of Media Art from a Japanese Perspective

Device Art is a concept for re-examining art-science-technology relationships both from a contemporary and historical perspective in order to foreground a new aspect of media art. The term "Device Art" may sound obscure, or even self-contradictory, but it is a conscious choice. The concept is a logical extension of a change in the notion of art that already started in the early 20th century with art movements such as Dada and Surrealism. More recently, interactive art has redefined forms of art and the role of artists. What we call device art is a form of media art that integrates art and technology as well as design, entertainment, and popular culture. Instead of regarding technology as a mere tool serving the art, as it is commonly seen, we propose a model in which technology is at the core of artworks. As I will discuss later, the concept took shape on the basis of an analysis of works by contemporary Japanese media artists. Features surfacing in many of these projects include interaction, a positive attitude towards technology, and playfulness. The influence of Japanese cultural tradition can be clearly traced in these haracteristics. Another aspect of this work is the artists' involvement in fields such as design, entertainment, and commercial production, which becomes evident in the approach of internationally recognized artists such as Toshio Iwai, Nobumichi Tosa (Maywa Denki), and Kazuhiko Hachiya. This approach, which is often considered suspect from a Western point of view, is actually a natural part of Japanese art. A long history of visual culture that developed independently from Western paradigms of art plays an important role in the Japanese art scene, offering artists wider possibilities for bringing their concepts outside of the context of museums and galleries.

References : Japanese Media arts

My personal review
Device art is an interesting subject to the world of art, it is how you came out with something that are periodically rare and experimental but somehow is useful to the human environment or anything else that related to the world;subject. It is how you implement the world of art through physical computing, as for me, my project is literally based on the term of device art, creating a digital instrument

some example of device art.

The Bitman project by Maywa Denki represents the quintessential Device Art object.


Lebedev is a digital clock that displays time in phrases, encouraging users to think of time in more human terms.


Knockman by Maywa Denki, is part of a family of wind up toys that represent the "cute factor" in a lot of today's Device Art work in Japan.

Spore, by SWAMP (Studies of Work Atmospheres and Mass Production) - an art collective comprised of Douglas Easterly and Matt Kenyon, is a "self-sustaining ecosystem for a rubber tree plant purchased at Home Depot

references : devices art

Idea development/Critique 2

Conceptual Desigan Approach.

As been advised my lecturer, that my projects should not be weighing on the electrical/ electronic circuit stuff and i guess i should focus more on the design approach. I've been doing some research on the gadgets/devices art.

I've been amazed by the art of alternative musical interface, since its seems related to my project and the experimentation of the installation is logical and rational to me, i guess it's really catch my beats on this.

Hydraulophone

My research on alternative musical instrument lands on a study of hydraulophone.An instrument that work as a tonal acoustic instrument, its played by direct physical contact with water based. The sound is generated hydraulically. Basically it is an alternative instrument for trumpet or any woodwind based instrument, the different is, it using water as the main method to produce sound.

The first was created by professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto named Steve Mann.

this is the sample of the projects




from the installation we can really assume how experimental it is, combining a physic theory with some musical stuff. I wished my projects can be more like this and pleased the user with some inspired stuff.


Virtual Midi Theremin
This is another project by Ken Moore, he is visualized his vision to make a simple musical instrument.




This DIY instrument that inspired by theremin, and wiimote is been used as a platform. As for me this is something very related to my project, the set up of this project is affordable and its pretty exciting! The most awesome thing about this design is, it's not restricted to the sine wave sound of a traditional Theremin so the sonic possibilities are endless, and you can create your own sound or just attach your favourite midi and tune it your way, play like a professional theremin-ist.


Laser Harp
The most awesome-ness instrument ever build by just an arduino. The projection of this installation really gets me on my nerve and provokes me to use my Arduino to create a physical interface that affects the user environment and create a wow factor to them. I really wanted to do this kind of installation, I wished my arduino behave well and be kind to me, so I can give my best shot to do this(hopefully)

Idea development/Critique 2 #2

Arduino!
As for my project I intend to use Arduino as my physical interface platform for micro-controller (previous post), i already ordered the starting kits and finally got my arduino kits arrived at my place yeay! but there's still other stuff is not complete yet, going to order them soon (sensor and etc)



without due delay, I'm starting to experiment using the arduino with some basic tutorial which i found on the arduino website, so in a slightly trial, i manage to experiment few of the sample such as LED play and sensor experiment.

i.e; ultrasonice range sensor


the data value from the sensor


i've got some video that i record, but did not manage to upload yet. going to do it later.

Research/Critique 2

Léon Theremin

The Theremin digital instrument (it is?), was invented in 1920 by Russian physicist introduce as one of the world's first electronic digital instruments. It's the only instrument that is played without being touched and conducted using motion of the user. The proximity of the hands to the two antenna determines the pitch and volume of the sounds produced.

You've might be likely heard the eerie Theremin before - they became popular in those 1950's science fiction movie soundtracks that sound so cheesy today(even i just realized that)

While Theremins became a popular attraction, they remain pretty rare (I've only seen a Theremin on a site only, as also been heard for the first time). A new Theremin costs about USD$450, so I'm not likely to get one as a stocking stuffer, but luckily thanks to the arduino and the inspiration of sensor tracking with some references from the net, I've been able to create my own(with some push of luck, please god *crossing finger*)

For some guidance and to browse a type of theremin :
http://www.theremin.info/-/viewpub/tid/9/pid/10

OK enough a briefly introduction about theremin, is not like im goin to tell the whole system of theremin, if so, i might just copy and paste and it doesn't seem likely im using my own interpretation. I hope your brain will capture the important subject here, which theremin - a digital instrument and played using hand gesture. :)

theremin info : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin (duhh there's on wiki dude)

Installation on physical computing

Physical computing

Physical computing - This is the subject that I really felt was interesting at first, and chill enough to use it as my projects platform. Essentially, physical Computing is an approach to learn on how humans can communicate through computers that starts by allowing the perception on how humans express themselves literally. For instance, we take the human body as a given, and attempt to design computing applications within the limits of its expression.

Typical personal computer is attached with devices such as keyboard, mouse, and monitor. But with physical computing many contents and expressions can be experienced from every aspect using a suitable platform to create the communication. But of course every pros has cons, the standardized input/output have limitation to create the interaction.

The development involved on how a computer converts the changes in energy given off by human bodies (in the form of sound, light, motion, and other forms - sensory) into changing electronic signals that it can read and interpret. The main brain to give the soul in physical computing and controlled the whole system is by using microcontrollers is the core intelligence that let the communication exists.

arduino NG microcontroller board

Microcontroller boards

“A microcontroller can be considered a self-contained system with a processor, memory and peripherals and can be used as an embedded system” wiki source.

It is subjected as a small computer system on a single integrated circuit, containing its own processor core, memory and programmable input/output. Complicated isn’t it? In the simple and understandable form, microcontroller is a complete mainboard/motherboard that you commonly seen in your personal computer, the intelligent parts is, it has build altogether in one board and its ten times small than your regular motherboard. The software that used to programmed the input/output is just like bios system but it’s been called IDE, or in simplest word, processing software.

There are many other microcontrollers and microcontroller platforms available for physical computing. Parallax Basic Stamp, Netmedia's BX-24, Phidgets, MIT's Handyboard, and many others offer similar functionality. As for my project I intend to use Arduino as my platform for microcontroller.

Some of the past senior is really exciting in elaborating the this arduino thingy. I will put it as my references : cheesehed